Bravest Regiment
The \orlli Carolina 26th lost 90
per c*enl of its men in (no «lays at
Gettysburg.
organized the Orange Presbylcry,
which was the first presbytery in the
South, and he was for many years
its recording secretary. He was elected
a trustee of Liberty Hall Academy in
Charlotte in 1777, and when the Uni¬
versity of North Carolina was being
organized, he was offered the presi¬
dency of that institution.
This sketch would not be complete
without mentioning his wonderful
helpmate. Mrs. Caldwell was a great
Christian character, a faithful wife, and
a devoted mother. It was said jocular¬
ly by some of their students that "Dr.
Caldwell educated them but that Mrs.
Caldwell made preachers of them."
She had nine children — eight boys
and one girl — and considering their
joint labors and love, she is entitled
to rank with him in his high accom¬
plishments. She was blessed with fine
health, as was evidenced by the fact
that in four years she had five babies.
One of the chapters of the Daughters
of the American Revolution in Guil¬
ford County is named the "Rachel
Caldwell Chapter" in honor of her
and they have erected a marker near
the spot where the Caldwell home was
located.
Caldwell served the two churches —
Alamance and Buffalo — for sixty years
and was succeeded by Dr. Ely Caruth-
ers, his biographer, who remained the
pastor of these two churches for thirty-
six years — making a total of ninety-six
years by these two men. 1 doubt if
there is any similar example to be
found in the South. Caruthcrs quotes
the Rev. E. B. Currie, one of Dr.
Caldwell’s oldest pupils, as saying that
"Dr. Caldwell, as a teacher, was prob¬
ably more useful to the church than
any one man in the United States.
I could name about forty ministers who
received their education in whole or
in part from him; and how many more
I cannot tell; but his log cabin served
for many years to North Carolina as
an Academy, a College and a Theo¬
logical Seminary. His manner of gov¬
erning his school, family and churches
was very much the same, that is, on
the mild and paternal plan, generally
attended with some wit and pleasant
humor."
Caruthcrs records another interest¬
ing fact: that during the long period
of forty years that Caldwell taught he
never expelled a single student. They
admired him, they loved him. and they
reverenced him.
Dr. Caldwell lived to the ripe age of
ninety-nine, and his wife followed him
In all the annals of warfare since
every Greek at Thermopolac died in
his tracks, no military unit has left a
better record than the 26th North Caro¬
lina regiment, which at Gettysburg lost
more men in actual numbers and in
percentage of those engaged, than any
other regiment in the whole of both
armies. This fact is established by a
federal historian who was himself in
the battle.
Zcb Vance was the first colonel
of this regiment; Col. Burgwyn was its
second, and Col. Lane was its third.
Col. Vance left the regiment in 1862
to become Governor of North Caro¬
lina. Col. Burgwyn was killed on the
first day at Gettysburg, and Col. Lane
was shot down on the same day by a
in death within a year, a fact which
often is true of devoted couples.
While the scholarship, the learning,
the devotion, and the service of this
great man seem to have been for¬
gotten. I cannot conclude this appre¬
ciation without reporting the fact
that David Caldwell, though dead, still
lives. His influence as educator, theo¬
logian. and preacher has been pro¬
found in the subsequent life of Guil¬
ford County. It has taken up the torch
of education which he held aloft so
long, and has stressed education as one
of the chief concerns of man; it estab¬
lished the first public school for both
races supported by taxation in this
state; it gave to the state its first Su¬
perintendent of Common Schools; it
has today more institutions of learning
for both white and black than any
other county in the state. In the re¬
ligious world, the two churches which
he served so long have continued to
function with an ever growing influ¬
ence. His spiritual zeal and example
have survived throughout the years,
until today there arc more churches in
Guilford County than in any county
in the state. His teachings laid the
foundation for the county’s sense of
morals, justice and liberty — aided by
the presence of a large Quaker cle¬
ment which likewise has stood for God
and education.
sniper, but eventually recovered and
led the regiment throughout the war.
This writer once saw Col. Lane in
his old age. an honored and successful
citizen of Chatham County. The regi¬
ment went into battle at Gettysburg
with 800 men and officers on duly. At
the end of the third day’s fighting there
were left only 67 privates and three
officers, and the regiment was not en¬
gaged in the battle of the second day.
The 26th Regiment was composed
of ten companies, one each from
Union, Anson, Ashe, Wilkes. Wake,
and Moore, and two from Chatham,
and two from Caldwell.
One of the heroes of the 26th was
Private Frank Honeycutt. When the
flag went down on the first day at
Gettysburg. Honeycutt rushed from the
ranks to take the flag from Col. Burg¬
wyn who hail picked it up. Col. Burg¬
wyn was killed while in the act of
handing the Hag to Honeycutt, who
was shot dead through the head as he
seized the flag. The Hag was shot
down thirteen times at Gettysburg and
every lime picked up and carried until
the bearer was shot down.
The history of the 26th Regiment
was studded with the brave acts of
many of its members from privates
to colonels. On the retreat from
Gettysburg the Federal cavalry con¬
stantly harassed the retreating Con¬
federates, Captain Curcton himself
witnessed this incident; A Federal
cavalryman took position on the Mary¬
land side of the pontoon bridges on
which the Confederates passed. As
the stragglers came along he would
demand their surrender. In this way
fifty or sixty men had surrendered to
this one cavalryman, not questioning
his power and authority. Along came
a member of the 26th Regiment and
duly halted. But this man better took
in the situation. He raised his gun,
and taking aim at the Yankee cavalry¬
man, said, “dam’ you. you surrender."
The cavalryman was also quick to see
the situation, and said, "All right."
and threw down his gun. He was taken
prisoner and the men who had sur¬
rendered to him were released. —
Roland Beasley. Monroe Journal.
THE STATE. February 16. 1952
5
